IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Bradford-Wright, R. | |
| Social and reproductive behaviours in the cheetah in a captive population | |
| 2013 Full Book | |
The aims of this study are to examine the social and reproductive behaviours of the cheetah in captivity, with an emphasis on whether husbandry practices may enforce unnatural social situations and interfering with reproduction. This study also investigated behavioural cues in male and female cheetahs that may assist with breeding programs in the captive environment. Chapter 1 provides background information on the cheetah and examines the breeding problems for cheetahs in captivity. The general methods used for data collection are described in chapter 2 as well the study site, animals, identification methods and statistical analyses. Chapter 3 provides an analysis of the captive cheetah's behavioural repertoire and discusses the observational effort needed to estimate the size of their entire behavioural suite. I describe the observed behaviours in an ethogram, with accompanying diagrams and figures to illustrate these behaviours, where possible. In chapter 4 I investigate female cheetahs' behaviours in captivity. I examine the behavioural repertoires of the female cheetah and discuss viable cues for wildlife managers to determine receptivity. Principal Components Analysis is used to explore the behavioural data and two key behaviours, Tail Rolling and Tail Swishing, are revealed as major elements in female behaviour. Strong patterns of cyclicity were observed for these behaviours and correlation analyses were performed to determine if these behaviours might provide a cue to oestrus. Chapter 5 examines the behaviours of male cheetahs in captivity. I examine behavioural repertoires, as well as the development and maintenance of coalitions, in captive male cheetah populations. Again, Principal Components Analysis is used to analyse behavioural data. Males showed considerably more behavioural complexity than females. Males formed coalitions in captivity, and behaviours such as Fighting, Grooming and Lying helped to define roles within these groups. Husbandry events caused distinct changes in male behaviour and appeared to influence coalition formation. Events relating to female cheetahs, such as mating and births, also appeared to impact on male behaviour. In chapter 6, I investigate the responses of male cheetahs to females when males were allowed to investigate female olfactory signals. I examine the variation in behavioural patterns as well as the stable and changing relationships between males throughout the study. Six key behaviours were identified as important measures of a male's response to female signals. Large variations in the frequency of these behaviours were noted between males. Males in stable coalitions displayed interest in investigating females, with cyclic changes in their behaviour. Correlations were found between several male behaviours and female Tail Rolling. Mating between individuals was recorded at the highest peaks of these behavioural fluctuations. Changes in coalition status appeared to be linked to changes in interest in investigating females. Finally, in chapter 7, I review the major findings from earlier chapters and address the issues of poor breeding success for the captive cheetah. I argue that longitudinal studies have not been well utilised, particularly in captivity, due to the time and effort they require. Due to the longitudinal nature of this study, I was able to observe trends in behaviour that otherwise would not be evident. My results suggest that oestrus is a major factor explaining variations in female behaviour and that Tail Rolling and Tail Swishing are good indictors of oestrus. In contrast, aggression explains the majority of variation in male behaviour, which relates to the formation of male coalitions. My research suggests that these aspects of female and male behaviour may be important for increasing breeding success in captive cheetah populations. |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |